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In a letter dating from 1973, Tolkien stated that the word gnome derives from Paracelsus,[1] whom is known to have used Modern Latin gnomus in a 16th century treatise.[2]

The word likely comes from genomos "earth-dweller". It has a similarity with Greek γνώσις gnosis "knowledge" which is why Tolkien used it for the wise clan of his Elves (QuenyaÑoldo "the Wise").[source?]

A Gnome is a dwarf-like creature of European folklore, often associated with Dwarves and Goblins. Traditional Gnomes however were unlike his depiction of his High Elves, they were imagined as deformed, underground and by the 19th century were depicted dwarf-like.

For that reason Tolkien dropped the term since that would confuse the readers. However, other folkloric names like "Elves", "Dwarves" and "Goblins" would persist in Tolkien's writing ever since, although he would be unsure about them (he did replace "Goblin" with "Orcs" after the publication of The Hobbit").

In the first Portuguese translation of The Hobbit, the title of the book is translated as gnomo, the Portuguese word for gnome. See: O Gnomo.